Escaped bull injures motorcyclist in Girard Township

A woman riding this Honda Metro scooter was struck by a runaway bull while she and two other motorcyclists were stopped in traffic in the westbound lanes of the 10100 block of West Ridge Road (background) in Girard Township at about 3:40 p.m. on July 10. The woman, Nicole Morton, 30, of Millcreek Township, was transported to UPMC Hamot. CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

GIRARD -- An escaped bull from a nearby meat processor lunged at and injured a woman as she sat on a motor scooter on West Ridge Road in Girard Township, just west of the borough Wednesday afternoon.

Nicole Morton, 30, of Millcreek Township, suffered facial injuries and was taken to UPMC Hamot, according to her husband, Kevin Morton, 34. The extent of her injuries were not immediately clear.

The incident happened at about 3:40 p.m. on Route 20 near its intersection with Route 18 south.

The bull and three cows were being unloaded at McDonald Meats, 10445 West Ridge Road, to be butchered when they escaped, state police at Girard said.

The bull and three cows were located and shot, police said.

The Mortons and another motorcyclist, Ginny Caldwell, 53, of Millcreek Township, were heading west on West Ridge Road when they stopped in the roadway behind three cars that were stopped ahead of them, Kevin Morton said.

Kevin Morton said his wife, who was riding a blue and white scooter, was in the lead. The three bikers then saw the animals a couple of blocks ahead.

The cows ran across to the south side of the road, and the bull continued running east on West Ridge Road in the westbound lanes, Kevin Morton said.

"It looked like a calm bull at first, then suddenly it up and charged. When it got in front of my wife, it just reared up and charged her. It jumped up into her and hit her in the face.''

The impact knocked Nicole Morton off her scooter.

Nicole Morton was conscious and talking when she was placed in an ambulance, Kevin Morton said.

All three were wearing helmets.

"The bull got separated from the pack,'' Caldwell said. "He leaped up and hit her right in her face. It passed Kevin, went around his bike, and ran right into my bike.''